Birthday Wishes
Hello! Welcome to my latest story! I had originally decided to sort of take a break from writing, since I was going into total melt-down depression mode, but I changed my mind, because I absolutely had to write this because I had the absolutely best idea! Ok, well, enjoy!
Please review!
Chapter One: The Coins
Sakura smiled happily to herself, straightening her hair and checking her reflection in the mirror. Happy thirteenth birthday to me... Tomorrow! Sakura grinned. No mistakes today; nothing in her teeth; nothing wrong with her hair; no wrinkles in her dress; everything was absolutely perfect.
(Gonna make Sasuke mine today! Oh, yeah! Inner-Sakura shouted happily) Sakura smirked, winking at her reflection. Oh yeah, he won't know what hit him! Taking a deep breath, she crossed the room to her door and opened it.
"Goooooood morning, Sakura-san! And Happy Early Birthday! "
Sakura's eyes widened. "Lee?!"
The ever-popular Green Beast of Konoha nodded energetically, grinning hugely.
Teeth: Ping!
"Thanks, Lee... What are you doing in my house?" she asked, in a much nicer tone.
"I have come to ask you out!"
...Again? Sakura smiled slightly. "Sorry, Lee, but I have to go training today."
Lee wilted slightly. "Oh... I understand!" He quickly recovered, causing Sakura to jump slightly. "The importance of good physic! I understand completely!" He nodded again.
Teeth: Ping!
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "...Sure." Even though she had become friends with Lee since that day in the Chuunin exam, his strange ways and... eyebrows... and... hair... still confused her. She sighed and looked at her wall-clock. Six A.M.?! I'm late for training! "Um.. I have to go." She ran past him, trying not to appear to be in a hurry (Nice try).
Lee raised an eyebrow. "...Wasn't she just here a second ago?" He shrugged and made his way back through the house to the front door. He knew the way well... After all, he'd been there every morning for the past month.
(A few minutes later...)
"Good morning, Sakura-chan!"
"Good morning, Naruto... Sakura turned the full-watt Happy-face on. "Good morning, Sasuke-kun!"
"Hm."
Sakura's shoulders sagged. What did I do wrong this morning?! I look great! She sighed and leaned against the railing on the bridge Team 7 always met on. Oh, well, there's always tomorrow... I got time.
(Five hours later)
"Yo!"
"YOU'RE LATE!"
"Today, I came across a little old lady crossing the street and I had to help her." Kakashi's left eye crinkled slightly, showing that he was grinning.
"LIAR!"
"Oh, well." Kakashi shrugged and opened his book.
"What are we doing today, Kakashi-sensei? Huh? Huh?" Naruto grinned hugely. "Rescuing an emperor?? Recovering a mystic scroll?? What are we doing??"
"Going to the mall."
"YEAH!" Sakura punched the air.
"Ohh..." Naruto slumped.
Sasuke had no comment.
(Later, at the mall...)
"Ok, what's the mission?" Naruto asked in a tired voice, dragging his feet, all enthusiasm gone.
"Nothing. We're here to have fun," Kakashi answered with a shrug, pocketing his book.
Sakura's jaw dropped. "Fun!?" She frowned, feeling Kakashi's forehead, as well as her own. "Fever?"
"Hey..." Kakashi pushed her hand away.
"The mall isn't fun!" Naruto insisted angrily. "Fun is getting super-sized ramen cups! Fun is free meals at the I.H.O.R.! Fun does not exist at the mall!"
"What's I.H.O.R?" Sakura asked, eyebrows raised.
"International House Of Ramen," Naruto said, as if she were dense. "Duh!"
"Is ramen all you think about, dobe?" Sasuke asked with a scoff.
Naruto glared. "No!"
"Ok, ok, that's enough." Kakashi waved his hand. "Ok, mission: We guys have to get Sakura a birthday present for tomorrow."
Naruto's eyes widened. "Tomorrow's your birthday, Sakura-chan??" he cried. "Happy birthday! Birthday glomp!" He glomped her, and proceeding to squeeze the life out of her.
"T-Thanks, Naruto," Sakura gasped out, attempting to pry him off her.
Sasuke scoffed, walking past them. "What a stupid mission."
Sakura starred at his back for a few seconds, then looked away. It's stupid...?
"Oi! Sakura-chan's birthday is not stupid, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, shaking his fist at Sasuke. Turning to Sakura, he grinned hugely. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan! I'll get you the best birthday present ever!" And he skipped away into the mall.
"Um... Do you think it's alright to let him wander?" Sakura asked Kakashi, glancing at Naruto's retreating back.
"Oh, yeah," Kakashi said unconcernedly. "He's a big boy, totally able to take care of himself."
However, the words had scarcely escaped his lips before a piercing cry echoed through the mall.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMEEEEEEEEEEN!!!!"
CRASH!
"...Yeah." Kakashi grinned and went in the direction Naruto had left in.
Sakura grinned nervously and nodded. "Ok, bye." She turned back to Sasuke, smiling sweetly. "Sasuke-kun, why don't–-"
"No."
"Huh? But–-"
"You can't come with me when I'm shopping for your birthday present," Sasuke said, as if she were stupid.
Sakura grinned weakly. "Um.. Ok, Sasuke-kun..." Idiot, she chastised herself as he walked off. Duh, you can't go with him when he gets your present! ...Ooh, that must mean it's going to be really good! Sakura emitted an inward squeal and skipped away. I'll leave them to it, then!
Sakura sighed, looking through the shop windows. There was never anything good in this part of the mall... And all her favorite shops were in the other end, but she didn't want to run into any of her team mates or friends, shopping for her. That would ruin the surprise! (Surprises are awesome! Inner-Sakura shouted. Hell yeah!)
"Excuse me, miss?"
Sakura turned. "What?"
A little old lady sat at a table, dressed in exotic fabric, complete with turban and crystal ball.
Oh... Just a fortune-teller... That stuff is usually crap anyway. "Sorry, but I don't have time," Sakura said politely.
"Tomorrow is your birthday, is it not?" the old lady asked.
"..Huh?" Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Um... yes?"
"And your name is Haruno Sakura, yes?"
"...Yes..." Sakura said in a quivering voice, getting a little freaked out now.
"And you are not quite satisfied with your life, are you not?"
"Um..." Should I answer that question?
"You desire this boy, do you not?" The little old lady passed a hand over the crystal ball. Sakura leaned forward to see, despite her thoughts of fortune-tellers being 'crap.' Her eyes widened. It was a picture of Sasuke, walking through aisles of... girl clothes... looking harassed.
He's really going to buy me something? "Um... yes..." Sakura blushed slightly.
"Then I shall help you."
"Um... you will?"
The old lady nodded, taking a small cloth bag out of the many folds of her robe. "Inside these bags are ten coins. On each coin, you can make one birthday wish, and it will come true. But be warned," she added before giving the bag to Sakura. "These coins are not to be taken lightly."
"Um... ok..." Sakura said, trying to make it seem like she was taking the woman seriously, taking the bag. What have I got to lose? Maybe I can make Sasuke-kun fall in love with me! "Ok, well, have a nice day." Sakura pocketed the bag and walked off.
Tsunade smirked, peeking over the cloth covering her face. Oh, no...you have a good day.
(Later)
Sakura frowned, looking in every girly clothes store she could find. Where was Sasuke? She had to find him so she could make a wish on one of the coins to make him fall in love with her! Her whole future happiness depended on it!
Yes, Sakura had started taking the coins seriously. Why, you asked? Let's rewind to when she actually got them.
(A minute or so after she got the coins)
Sakura ran into the nearest girly clothes store she could find. "Sasuke-kun?" She looked around. No, Sasuke was not there... But Temari was. And so were her brothers, Kankurou and Gaara. Sakura snuck over to them, since she knew them and all.
"No!" Kankurou shouted, giving Temari a huge pile of clothes. "I am not holding your clothes anymore! You can't make me!"
"Oh, yes I can!" Temari glared at him, cracking her knuckles.
Gaara sat between them on the floor, making sand castles, totally unawares. "Hello, Sakura."
Temari looked up from where she was strangling Kankurou, who's face was starting to match his make-up. "Hi, Sakura!"
"Hi, um... having problems?" Sakura glanced down at Kankurou, who was holding up a small piece of paper that said "Help me!"
"Oh, no, none at all, except that this sleazeball," Temari stomped on Kankurou's head, "won't cooperate."
Now, Sakura, being the sweet girl that she was underneath all the outer Sakura-bitch, decided to help her fellow female. After all, I do have ten wishes, right? Sakura reached into her pocket and took out one of the coins. Holding it tight in her palm, she scrunched up her eyes and thought for a moment on how to help Temari. Oh, I know! I wish that Kankurou was... polite and considerate! Yeah! I wish Kankurou was polite and considerate! She opened her eyes to see if it worked.
"Oh, no, Temari, let me take those!" Kankurou took the pile of clothes from his sister. "I'll just toss them over when you're ready." He smiled brightly and opened the door to the dressing room for his sister. "Go ahead, I'll watch Gaara."
Temari's jaw dropped. "K-Kankurou?"
Sakura looked down at her hands; the coin was gone. Her eyes popped open. Holy crap, it works!
"Sasuke-kun!" She ran out of the store.
And ran smack into....
"Neji?" She looked up at the Hyuuga. "What are you doing in the mall?"
He scoffed, walking past her into the store.
Sakura starred after him. Neji's a drag queen??
"S-Sakura-chan..."
Sakura looked up. "Oh, hey, Hinata, are you here with Neji? 'Cuz I didn't think he was into... that."
Hinata blushed slightly. "Y-yes... He didn't want to come, though... He thought we should stay home and train... B-but training with Neji-nii-san is so..."
"Scary?" Sakura finished. She'd never been personally scared of Neji, because she had never had a reason to, but she knew Hinata was scared spitless of him.
"W-well..." Hinata looked at her feet.
"He is kind of socially-retarded, isn't he?" Sakura glanced at the older shinobi's back where he was looking, with complete disgust, at tank tops. I should help Hinata, too... Neji's such a jerk to her sometimes... She took one of the coins out of her pocket and closed her eyes again. I wish Neji acted like... Hmm... Who does Hinata like? Oh yeah! I wish Neji acted like Naruto! She opened her eyes to see the effects. This is gonna be good.
"Come on, Hinata-sama!" Neji ran back out of the shop, pulling at the horrified Hinata's arm. "Let's go get some ramen! I'm starving!"
"B-But, Neji-nii-san, you said t-that ramen was b-bad for you..." Hinata's eyes widened.
"'Course it's not! Ramen is the best! Let's go!" Neji tossed Hinata over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and ran away towards the food court.
The bridge of Sakura's face turned blue. Well... at least he's happy to be around her... But now onto more important things... "Sasuke-kun!" Sakura ran into the next store. Girly clothes, girly clothes, girly clothes, girly–-Shikamaru? "Shikamaru?" She raised an eyebrow at the two male members of Ino's team, who appeared to be sneaking out of the store.
"Shh! We're getting away from Ino!" Chouji hissed, putting a finger to his lips.
"This is so troublesome... do we have to army-crawl?" Shikamaru groaned and yawned, not bothering to cover his mouth.
Sakura winced at the shadow-user's lack of manners. Jeez... he's always so tired! No wonder Ino-pig can't stand him! I wish he'd wake up for once.. Oh no! Sakura whirled around.
Too late.
"Hurry up, Chouji," Shikamaru said in a... strangely awake voice. "We gotta get out of here!"
Chouji's jaw dropped. "...Shikamaru?"
"Hurry up!" Shikamaru army-crawled out of the shop like his mother was after him.
Sakura's mouth hung open as Chouji followed his friend looking like a confused horse. Oh god... I've just disrupted the universe! Oh, well, what the heck... I wish Chouji would eat healthy, too, while I'm at it.
"Shikamaru, wait for me! I have to go get a salad from the food court!"
Sakura smirked. Oh yeah. Destroying the pattern of the universe was fun.
"Shikamaru, Chouji, I'm done! Look at me!" Sakura turned as Ino stepped out of a dressing room wearing a barely-there green dress and pumps. Ino looked like she felt she was gorgeous in it, but the look disappeared when she saw Sakura. "Hello, Sakura."
"Hello, Ino." Sakura scowled.
"How do you like my dress for your party?" Ino spun around so Sakura could see the whole dress... whatever there was of it.
(PIG!) "Oh, but, Ino, didn't you hear? You're supposed to wear clothes." Sakura gave her former friend a sweet smile and walked out of the store. No way in hell was Sasuke going to be in Victoria's Secret.
Ino steamed at the ears for a few minutes, her face red with fury. "Sakura.... Sasuke-kun!" She spotted her dark-haired wonder looking through the aisles. She immediately ran over and grabbed him. "What are you doing here, Sasuke-kun??"
Sasuke froze like a deer caught in head lights.
"Do you like my dress??" Ino spun around again.
"Go put on some clothes," Sasuke ordered, prying her off him and stalking out. I doubt Sakura would like something that Ino liked... I think... Sasuke peeked at a small book he'd bought first from Walden Books. The book was titled Do's and Don't's of Girl World Birthdays. Yep, rule 23: Don't buy her something her rival would wear. Sasuke sighed. Girl World had so many rules... He shoved the book and his hands in his pockets and went to the next girly store he found.
(Meanwhile..)
Sakura sighed, going into a sports' store. Who knew... Maybe Sasuke was in there.. He sure as hell wasn't in any of the stores she'd looked in.
"Come on, Shino, basketball is easy!"
"..."
"No, seriously, it is!"
"..."
"Well, you won't know until you try it, will you?"
"..."
"Oh, come on, just watch it!"
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "You actually understand what his silences mean now?" she asked Kiba, whose face was plastered to the wide-screen TV in the back of the store. On the screen was a basketball game.
"You mean you can't?" he asked her, eyes wide.
"...Um..." Sakura decided not to answer. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Well, Hinata's with her cousin, and even though Kiba swears he's not scared of Neji, we decided to go our separate ways for today," Shino answered.
"I'm not scared of Neji!" Kiba insisted.
"..."
"I'm not! I'm not scared of anything!"
"..."
"Oh, sure, talk to her but not me, huh? I see how it is."
"Why do I have to?" Shino asked, looking mortally confused.
Sakura yelped as a wasp suddenly circled around her head. "Ewewewewew, get it away!" she shrieked, waving her hands around her head.
"It's not it's fault you have fragrant shampoo," Shino said as the wasp landed on his out-
stretched finger.
Sakura glared. Oh, I'll show you fragrant shampoo! I wish you were scared of bugs, too! She smirked.
"....EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!! GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!" Shino emitted an extremely feminine scream and jumped on Kiba's head.
(Oh yeah, we rock! Hell yeah! Inner-Sakura punched the air inside Sakura's head)
Sakura smirked again, stalking out of the store. Oh wait. She stuck her head back in. And I wish Kiba was a scaredy-cat! She smiled and winked at the two friends and kept walked.
(3...2...1...)
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Get it away, Shino!"
"I don't wanna touch it! Ew, get away, evil wasp!"
"Make it go away! Make it go away!"
Sakura sighed. Oh yes. She was a bad-ass chick and she knew it, dammit. She suddenly stopped dead and gasped. "Oh no!" She whipped the bag out of her pocket and looked in. Only four left?! When did that happen?! She groaned and put the bag back in her pocket. I need to find Sasuke-kun now! Before I make anymore stupid wishes!
Sakura stomped determinedly away from the sports' store, ignoring the male-almost-
feminine screams it emitted. Must find Sasuke-kun! Must find Sasuke-kun! Must find Sasuke-kun! Must find Sasuke-kun! Must find–Wait. She stopped outside Victoria's Secret, where she had somehow ended up again. Sure enough, inside, she saw everyone's favorite perverted sennin, Jiraiya, peeking in the dressing rooms. Well... one more wish couldn't hurt... I mean, it is for the good of Konoha in general. She sighed. I wish Jiraiya-
sama was a model citizen.
"Oh, here, ma'am, let me help you carry those bags to your car!" Jiraiya went over to a little old lady carrying a large quantity of Victoria's Secret bags.
Oh... ew! Mental images! Sakura ran away from the shop with her three remaining wishes. Must find Sasuke-kun!
"Sakura-san!"
Sakura turned. "Hi, Lee..." Is everyone at the mall today? "What's up?"
"I thought you said you would be attending training today," Lee said, looking reproachful.
"I was," she answered. "But the mission Kakashi gave the guys was to get my birthday presents for tomorrow, so they took me with them." She shrugged.
"Would you like to attend a brief early birthday lunch with me, then, Sakura-san?"
"Er– Sure, why not." It was just a date, right? What could it do?
"REALLY???" Lee's eyes shined.
"Er... Yeah."
"Let's go!" Lee grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the food court.
Sakura sighed inwardly as he bought her a burger meal from Burger King. I wish he'd just look at me as a friend... not a girlfriend... Erp! She looked up.
Lee turned to her with the trays and a serious expression. "Let's sit down."
"Um... ok..." Maybe it didn't work? She followed him to a table, where he set the trays down and sat down himself.
"Sakura, the reason I asked you here today was so I could tell you something..."
"...?" Sakura sipped her Pepsi, trying not to look strange in any way shape or form.
"I understand that we have bonded slightly since the Chuunin exam," Lee said slowly, folding his fingers together. "But you must know... I only view you as a friend."
Sakura spat back into her cup. "W-What?"
"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings," Lee said with a comforting smile.
"Uh... N-Not at all..." Sakura sipped her drink again, her face flushed. Oh god I thought he was going to ask me to marry him or something!
After they finished eating, Lee deposited of their trash and said again, "I hope I haven't hurt your feelings."
"No, it's really ok," Sakura said with a small smile. Not like you had a choice... She waved good bye and went to the ramen stand. Maybe Naruto had seen Sasuke somewhere...
She peeked in the ramen stand. There were three costumers inside. One, as she suspected, was Naruto, and the others, she noticed, were Neji and Hinata. Hinata was patting Neji on the back and begging him to slow down.
"Come on, N-Neji-nii-san, this is your twelfth bowl!"
Oh god what have I done? Sakura sighed and went over to where Naruto was sitting. "Hi, Naruto."
Naruto gave her a ramen-filled grin. "Hi, Sakura-chan!"
Sakura's eyebrow twitched; beside him were fourteen empty bowls, putting Neji's twelve to shame. She brushed it off. "Have you seen Sasuke-kun?"
Naruto shook his head, slurping ramen. "Ah ha'ent meen um," he answered around a mouthful.
Sakura's eye twitched. Man, I wish he'd eat heathier... then we'd be able to understand what he's saying... Sakura gasped, clamping a hand over her mouth. No, no, no, I didn't mean it!
Again, too late.
Naruto sighed and pushed his unfinished bowl away from him. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan, I'll help you find Sasuke," he assured her, grinning as he followed her out of the stand, stopping to pay his bill and pat Neji on the back, saying, "Carbs are not your friend, man."
Sakura's nose turned blue as he followed her out. "Ok, let's go!" Naruto grinned, standing proud, as he always did.
"Go where? We're done."
Sakura turned. "Sasuke-kun! Welcome back!"
"Hm."
Her eyes shot to the bag in his hand. It was small, she saw sadly, and black, so she couldn't tell where he got it. Maybe it's from Hot Topic! Oh, yeah! I wish–
"What about Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked.
"He's fine," Sasuke answered, shoving his hands in his pockets.
Across the mall, they were a shriek.
"MAKE-OUT PARADISE THE MOVIE TICKETS?!"
"See? He's a big boy." Sasuke shrugged and headed out of the mall.
Sakura nodded at once, following him. "Yeah, he is!"
(Don't forget!)
Oh yeah... I wish Sasuke-kun would fall in love with me! Sakura looked up at her crush's back nervously. Please work...
Sasuke turned to her. "Come on, Sakura, I'll walk you home."
Sakura's jaw dropped. Inner-Sakura's jaw dropped. (Is this real?!)
"Come on," he repeated.
Sakura smiled brightly and fell into step with him. (If this is Naruto, I'll kill him!)
They walked in silence, mainly because Sakura had no idea what to say, even though she had planned this event out several times in her head, and Sasuke seemed to be fascinated with his feet, so she couldn't see his face. When they reached Sakura's house, Sasuke paused outside the door, then turned to her and asked, "Is it ok if I pick you up tomorrow for training?"
Sakura's jaw dropped again. "Uh... Um..." (SAY YES, DAMMIT!) "S-Sure."
Sasuke gave her the smallest of smiles. "Ok. Tomorrow, then." And he walked off.
Sakura starred after him. "Am I dreaming?!"
Pinch.
"..That didn't hurt."
Slap.
"Ok, that hurt." Sakura's eyes widened. "I'm not dreaming!" She squealed and ran into her house to manicure, moisturize and coordinate. She absolutely had to look her absolute best tomorrow!
Ok, what'd you think? I'm going to work on the next chappie if people like this one... Please review!